Cultural Tourism Industry and Sustainable Heritage in Times of Crisis

7th World Archaeological Congress. Session:The Cultural Tourism Industry and Sustainable Heritage in Times of Crisis

Jordan, Dead Sea, 14-18 January 2013

This session seeks to investigate archaeological sites and landscapes as objects of cultural heritage and tourist consumption, often created through perceptions and strategies involving a transformation of their initial identity as well as conflicts of interest and understanding between heritage industry and archaeology.

Specifically, the development and marketing of archaeological sites is often aimed at creating landscapes for consumption by a leisured class of tourists rather than accommodating the knowledge provided by archaeologists or the needs of local communities. At the same time, cultural tourism is based on the consumption of an idea of innocence, a return to the original represented by antiquities and a means to experience imagined communities. This may become a focus of conflict between tourists, archaeologists and real communities, especially in times of crisis.

The Organising Committee of the Seventh World Archaeological Congress welcomes papers that address critically one or more of the above issues. Questions of particular interest include: the identity that archaeological sites and landscapes acquire through modern promotional campaigns and tourism; strategies of site commodification, objectification and representation in public and popular imagery; archaeological sites as theme parks, and archaeology as a leisure activity; the quest for ʽauthenticityʼ by contemporary urban nomads; and the interaction of host and guest.

The deadline for the submission of papers has been extended to 15 November 2012.

To submit your contribution you should create a Conftool account and submit your abstract online: https://www.conftool.com/wac7/

Please don’t forget to specify that you would like to be part of this session during the online submission process. More information regarding submissions can be found at the WAC-7 website: http://wac7.worldarchaeologicalcongress.org/.